Douglas Adams
Birthday:
11 March 1952, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK
Birth Name:
Douglas Noel Adams
Height:
196 cm
Born Douglas Noel Adams on March 11, 1952 in Cambridge. From 1959 until 1970 he went to Brentwood school in Essex, and his main interest was science. As a student in Cambridge he decided to hitch-hike through Europe to Istanbul, and in order to raise funds for this he took a lot of small jobs. In 1970 he left school to become a writer, certain that...
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Born Douglas Noel Adams on March 11, 1952 in Cambridge. From 1959 until 1970 he went to Brentwood school in Essex, and his main interest was science. As a student in Cambridge he decided to hitch-hike through Europe to Istanbul, and in order to raise funds for this he took a lot of small jobs. In 1970 he left school to become a writer, certain that success was just around the corner. But nothing happened. He worked with the late Monty Python member Graham Chapman and John Lloyd, but hardly anything they did was published.On February 4 1977 he met Simon Brett, who then was doing Radio 4's 'The Burkiss Way'. They agreed to produce a science fiction comedy show on radio. This was the birth of the Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy.Douglas Adams married Jane Belson on November 24 1991 and they have a daughter by the name Polly Jane, born on June 22, 1994. They lived in Islington, but in 1999 they moved to California, USA. In 1997 Douglas signed a deal with Disney to make a feature movie, and he immediately started working on the screenplay. Jay Roach, of Austin Powers fame, was signed as director.On the morning of May 11 2001, Adams went to the local gym to work out. There he suffered a massive heart attack and all attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. He died, and left his 6 year old daughter Polly, his wife Jane, his mother Jan Thrift, brother James and countless other family members and friends, not to mention thousands and thousands of fans all over the world, in shock and mourning.Author of the hysterically funny series of books, summarized as "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", which also include a radio series, a TV series, stage play, record albums, computer game, graphic novels and a bath towel.He also wrote the Dirk Gently novels and a non fiction book, "Last Chance to See", about endangered species. Apart from being a writer, he was also a chicken shed cleaner, bodyguard for an Arab royal family and he actually at one time played guitar for Pink Floyd (42nd birthday gift from David Gilmour, an old friend).Douglas co-founded the company The Digital Village (now h2g2), producing nearly everything that has to do with media: TV, movies, computer games etc. He was one of the creators of Starship Titanic, a combined book (co-written with Terry Jones of the Monty Python bunch) and computer game.It was often claimed that P.G. Wodehouse had influence on him and his work, and when once asked about this he replied: "Yes, a huge impact. But not an early impact. I didn't start reading Wodehouse until I was writing 'Restaurant at the end of the universe'. I can see the impact starting almost immediately. I think that Wodehouse, without exaggeration, was a genius on the English language." Show less «
[on BBC Online chat, 11/8/00] I'm 48, which is a bit of a shock to me. Why only last year I thought I was a precocious young thing!
[on BBC Online chat, 11/8/00] I'm 48, which is a bit of a shock to me. Why only last year I thought I was a precocious young thing!
[11/8/00] I think that growing up in a crowded continent like Europe with an awful lot of competing claims, ideas . . . cultures . . . and s...Show more »
[11/8/00] I think that growing up in a crowded continent like Europe with an awful lot of competing claims, ideas . . . cultures . . . and systems of thought we have, perforce, developed a more sophisticated notion of what the word freedom means than I see much evidence of in America. To be frank, it sometimes seems that the American idea of freedom has more to do with my freedom to do what I want than your freedom to do what you want. I think that in Europe we're probably better at understanding how to balance those competing claims, though not a lot. Show less «
I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.
I love deadlines. I love the whooshing noise they make as they go by.
[agreeing that Starship Titanic (1998) should be delayed rather than released incomplete] We should nail our colors to the mast of quality.
[agreeing that Starship Titanic (1998) should be delayed rather than released incomplete] We should nail our colors to the mast of quality.
I loved Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969). For years I wanted to be John Cleese, I was most disapointed when I found out the job had been ...Show more »
I loved Monty Python's Flying Circus (1969). For years I wanted to be John Cleese, I was most disapointed when I found out the job had been taken. Show less «
When it comes down to it, my principle is this - Arthur should be British. The rest of the cast should be decided purely on merit and not on...Show more »
When it comes down to it, my principle is this - Arthur should be British. The rest of the cast should be decided purely on merit and not on nationality. Show less «
A danger one runs is that the moment you have anything in the script that's clearly meant to be funny in some way, everybody thinks 'oh well...Show more »
A danger one runs is that the moment you have anything in the script that's clearly meant to be funny in some way, everybody thinks 'oh well we can do silly voices and silly walks and so on', and I think that's exactly the wrong way to do it. Show less «
Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.
Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent dis...Show more »
Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. Show less «
Even he, to whom most things that most people would think were pretty smart were pretty dumb, thought it was pretty smart.
Even he, to whom most things that most people would think were pretty smart were pretty dumb, thought it was pretty smart.
Cyberspace is - or can be - a good, friendly and egalitarian place to meet.
Cyberspace is - or can be - a good, friendly and egalitarian place to meet.
I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting. But it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously.
I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting. But it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously.
There is a particular disdain with which Siamese cats regard you. Anyone who has walked in on the Queen cleaning her teeth will be familiar ...Show more »
There is a particular disdain with which Siamese cats regard you. Anyone who has walked in on the Queen cleaning her teeth will be familiar with the feeling. Show less «
We notice things that don't work. We don't notice things that do. We notice computers, we don't notice pennies. We notice e-book readers, we...Show more »
We notice things that don't work. We don't notice things that do. We notice computers, we don't notice pennies. We notice e-book readers, we don't notice books. Show less «
I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies: 1. Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal an...Show more »
I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies: 1. Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works. 2. Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty-five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. 3. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things. Show less «
One of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do...Show more »
One of the many major problems with governing people is that of whom you get to do it; or rather of who manages to get people to let them do it to them: It is a well known fact, that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. Anyone who is capable of getting themselves into a position of power should on no account be allowed to do the job. Another problem with governing people is people. Show less «
Bypasses are devices that allow some people to dash from point A to point B very fast while other people dash form point B to point A very f...Show more »
Bypasses are devices that allow some people to dash from point A to point B very fast while other people dash form point B to point A very fast. People living at point C, being a point directly in between, are often given to wonder what's so great about point A that so many people from point B are so keen to get there, and what's so great about point B that so many people from point A are so keen to get there. They often wish that people would just once and for all decide where the hell they wanted to be. Show less «
There are two things in particular that it [the computer industry] failed to foresee: one was the coming of the Internet . . . the other was...Show more »
There are two things in particular that it [the computer industry] failed to foresee: one was the coming of the Internet . . . the other was the fact that the century would end. Show less «
Having been an English literary graduate, I've been trying to avoid the idea of doing art ever since. I think the idea of art kills creativi...Show more »
Having been an English literary graduate, I've been trying to avoid the idea of doing art ever since. I think the idea of art kills creativity. I think media are at their most interesting before anybody's thought of calling them art, when people still think they're just a load of junk. Show less «
See first, think later, then test. But always see first. Otherwise you will only see what you were expecting. Most scientists forget that.
See first, think later, then test. But always see first. Otherwise you will only see what you were expecting. Most scientists forget that.
The big corporations are suddenly taking notice of the web, and their reactions have been slow. Even the computer industry failed to see the...Show more »
The big corporations are suddenly taking notice of the web, and their reactions have been slow. Even the computer industry failed to see the importance of the Internet, but that's not saying much. Let's face it, the computer industry failed to see that the century would end. Show less «
I think that Doctor Who (1963) is at its best when the humour and the drama work together and that however absurd a situation may be, it is ...Show more »
I think that Doctor Who (1963) is at its best when the humour and the drama work together and that however absurd a situation may be, it is actually very, very real and it has very real consequences. That's the moment at which something that's inherently absurd actually becomes frightening. Show less «
I had a great deal of say, but the producer didn't have a great deal of listen.
I had a great deal of say, but the producer didn't have a great deal of listen.
It is not considered fashionable in Britain to know things or to talk about stuff. You should bear this in mind when visiting.
It is not considered fashionable in Britain to know things or to talk about stuff. You should bear this in mind when visiting.
One of the best ways to keep from being unhappy is not to have a word for it.
One of the best ways to keep from being unhappy is not to have a word for it.
These people look at a catflap and they say "I could have thought of that!" The point is they didn't, and a very revealing and significant p...Show more »
These people look at a catflap and they say "I could have thought of that!" The point is they didn't, and a very revealing and significant point it is too. Show less «
Trying to predict the future is a mug's game. But it's a game we increasingly have to play because the World is changing so fast. And we nee...Show more »
Trying to predict the future is a mug's game. But it's a game we increasingly have to play because the World is changing so fast. And we need to have some idea of what the future's going to be like because we're going to have to live there. Probably, next week. Show less «
Present someone with a clipboard questionnaire and they lie. You'd be amazed how many people out there are the millionaire CEO of their own ...Show more »
Present someone with a clipboard questionnaire and they lie. You'd be amazed how many people out there are the millionaire CEO of their own company. Show less «
Gag Halfrunt, Zaphod's Braincare Specialist: "Zaphod's just this guy, you know?" Vogon Captain: "A personal friend?" Gag Halfrunt: "In my li...Show more »
Gag Halfrunt, Zaphod's Braincare Specialist: "Zaphod's just this guy, you know?" Vogon Captain: "A personal friend?" Gag Halfrunt: "In my line we don't make personal friends" Vogon Captain: "Professional Detachment?" Gag Halfrunt: "No, we just don't have the knack..." Show less «
He was a Poet, a Philosopher and a Dreamer. Or, as his wife would have it, an "Idiot".
He was a Poet, a Philosopher and a Dreamer. Or, as his wife would have it, an "Idiot".
The inventor of the Total Perspective Vortex did it, as is the case with the best of things, to annoy his wife.
The inventor of the Total Perspective Vortex did it, as is the case with the best of things, to annoy his wife.
Douglas Adams's Photos
